# Pros & Cons of Cap vs. Foil (highlights)



## lainey

What's the difference between the cap and foil method for highlights?

Is there a price difference? Am I suppose to request which method to use?

What are the pros and cons, if any between the two methods?

Which do you recommend?


----------



## NYAngel98

I would get a foil over a cap personally. A cap is cheaper, but I dunno - I just was never thrilled with the results. In the cap method, you brush out the hair, stick a plastic cap (think snug little ol' lady rainhat w/ a tie under the chin lol) on that has holes in it. Then the hair is pulled through the holes using basically a crochet hook. I don't like it because depending on how you brush the hair before you put the cap on, it can look totally spotty after it's bleached. Sometimes too much hair is pulled through, ripping the cap and having a section that is much thicker than the rest. Plus after the hair on the cap is bleached, washed, and rinsed, it's a giant knot. Not a lot of fun to try combing through.. then attempting to get the cap off. lol Foil is better, you can get the exact thickness you want, it's more of a consistant result, and usually pain-free! lol If you can afford to pay a little more for foils.. .go that route.  /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />


----------



## lainey

what's usually the price difference with foil and cap?

since i want the thin streaks, the foil probably does sound better!


----------



## NYAngel98

It really depends on the salon... they range all over. Well, for example, at the salon I worked at (granted, this was years ago, so I'm sure prices have gone up) Basic cap higlights started around $50+up and foils were usually like $100+up. The length of hair is a factor too. I'd call your salon and see what they charge. Foils are great for thin streaks. You could even add a few thicker pieces in there if you wanted. It's all freehand - so they can do the very thin to the very thick and everything inbetween. With foils, the hair is sectioned... and they either use the end of a tail comb or a special higlighting comb to weave through smaller sections. (For a 'visual' example... imagine a 3" across x 1" down section of hair. They pull it taught. Then they start at one end and weave the end of the comb up &amp; down over &amp; over until you reach the other end. The hair is then seperated from what was on top of the comb ... and the hair under it... and a board with foil wrapped around it is placed in between the sections. The top section is placed on the board and brushed with the bleach... while the bottom section remains left down, uncolored. The foil w/ the bleached hair is folded up against the head to process. Then she'll take the foil &amp; uncolored hair from that section, clip it up... and take another 3"x1" section under it... and repeat this until your hair is done.) Sorry if I confused you... lol hard to explain... lol But it's more precise and more time consuming than a cap --- so expect to pay more  /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />


----------



## lainey

lol

Holy! Never spent that much at a salon before lol

Usually how long does it take? That way I know ahead of time so I know how much time to give space...

my hair goes past my boobs a bit


----------



## NYAngel98

If they're quick... I'd say around an hour - hour n' a half or so. If they're a little on the slower side... maybe more. It really depends on the salon --- pricewise too.


----------



## pinkbundles

i would go for the foil highlights. it turns out much better and you have better control in terms of where the colour goes. but it is more expensive and the longer your hair is, the more it costs.

i have medium lenght hair and it cost over $100 CAD and it was only half (you can choose half or full head highlights)...and ok, it also depends on the salon you go too.


----------



## Becka

go foils, I think the end result of chunkier pieces is much prettier, plus if you get the wrong person ..... the cap can hurt !!


----------



## lainey

i'll be hitting those asian salons...so they usually charge cheaper! but yeah, looks like i'll be spending probably about 150 at the salon (streaks and cut). Wow lol

Looks like I need to withdraw a lot of money!


----------



## here_is_gone

Foil for sure. Check out your local beauty schools though!


----------



## Mari168

Foils without a doubt. Someone in my family gets the cap done and I don't like her results. I get a partial foil, my hair is shoulder length and I pay about 60 -75 dollars. The last forever since they have to grow out and since my hair is also colored and my roots get done about every 7 weeks they look great many months later.

I think it is well worth the investment. Just make sure to vocalize or take a picture as to the look you want to achieve.

Marilyn


----------



## NYAngel98

You could also just get highlights around your face to save $$ - or a partial crown... same effects to your complexion &amp; overall "look"... but usually a lot cheaper  /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />


----------



## eightthirty

My friend just had her hair highlighted the other day with papers instead of foils. She said she really liked it. I've never had my hair highlighted at all.

Janelle, have you ever heard of this method?


----------



## NYAngel98

Yeah... it's this certain paper that they use instead of the regular foil... it's supposed to be better for your hair. Not totally sure how true that is, being that the bleaching is what does the majority of damage. Foil holds heat better though.


----------



## eightthirty

Interesting! Thanks for your input! I see what you mean, though!


----------



## SexxyKitten

i've had both types done and i highly HIGHLY recommend the foils over that stupid cap...it knots your hair like crazy and on long hair it really really hurts to have it pulled through the holes. as for price--my salon i think charges like $75+ for full head foils.


----------



## Twinkles-TX

My stylist has a trick to getting the cap off. She rinses and loads my hair up with conditioner and then the cap slides right off. I've had both methods done with similar results, but i hate the crochet needle they use with the cap. OUCH!


----------



## lihan

My stylist uses the crochet tool expertly with the cap so that it doesn't pull the hair too hard. She also puts lots of conditioner on the hair so that the cap slides off easily. I also like the look and it costs about $100. However, I was wondering if pulling the hair through the cap holes breaks or damages the hair strands more than foil. Could the cap method destroy the hair follicle?


----------



## x33cupcake

100 for highlights?! here in orange county, it is booming with hair salons and the most i've ever had to pay for highlights was 60 =/


----------



## lihan

Well the price also includes a cut and blow-dry. Is it still too high?


----------



## breezyboo:)

OMG foil is so much better. My friend had the cap thing done and I got the foil one at a salon and her blonde highlights looked so unnatural . . . but mine were pretty fine! lol  /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />


----------



## natalielaurae

Personally I prefer the cap method to the foil. i like the look of all over highlights as a opposed to the few little ones i got from foiling because my hair is very very thick and 8 foils for $80 just didnt cut it. . Although, I highly recommend going to a hair stylist that has been in the field a long time and has going to many hair shows and workshops. The result is better and more natural when it has been mastered which takes years. And the mentors that taught older stylists were taught the cap method and it was more popular so they did it more often. Now a days people do so much highlighting with foils, that they dont put as much focus on the cap method. and if done incorrectly leaves your hair spotty, uneven, and unhealthy because the knots are awful. deep conditioning treatments should always be applied after highlights and you should continue doing these treatments once a week. anytime bleach is added to the hair it takes the natural oils out it so you need to add that into your regime.  /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> hope the info helps.


----------



## mariahzelada

It really depends what kind of high light you want to go with. 

Foiling you can have a lot more direct placement, and multiple colours- whereas cap, it can only be one colour and its all random throughout the head.

It also depends on hair type. If your hair is very thick and coarse, your stylist should know better than to try and pull that through a cap. It will be very painful for you. 

In the end, it's all up to whatever you wanna do/ have done.


----------



## Guest

JUst had low knights put in my hair yesterday. He used the cap method. I am very disappointed - now my whole head of hair looks the colour he put in. My lighter hair has all disappeared! He pulled hair through every hole in the cap - is that the correct way to do it? I suspect all my hair was pulled through. Now I have to go back to get highlights put in my hair - ugh!

I paid $70 for cap highlights and cut- short hair.


----------

